Police clock I-84 speeder at over 140 mph
TROUTDALE, Ore. - Police say they nabbed a speeding BMW on Interstate 84 near Troutdale Thursday after the car posted an eye-popping 146 mph on their speed detection equipment.
Travis J. Olsen, 31, of Portland, was behind the wheel of the high-performance BMW 540 that is now in a police impound facility.
Olsen claims he was late for a meeting and was trying to make up for lost time.
Police say Olsen claimed he thought he might get a speeding ticket, but did not know that more than doubling up the legal limit - 65 mph in this case - actually earned you a trip to jail and the loss of your car.
Police say he faces multiple charges and big fines for his near-NASCAR caliber performance through the Columbia Gorge.
Police did say that when Olsen caught up to slower traffic and noticed a police car behind him, he pulled over without incident.
Under a new Oregon law, speeders caught exceeding 100 mph automatically face fines over $1,100 and a mandatory license suspension of up to 90 days.
Police noted that the 146 reading was one of the highest they've seen in the state, but the all-time record goes to a man clocked at 159 mph in 1993.
No word on what he was driving.
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